Gas holder



Nov. ll, 1930.

F. H. WAGNER 1,781,256

GAS HOLDER Filed Aug. 6, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TT ORNE YS F. H. WAGNER GAS HOLDER Filed Aug. 6I 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. ll, 1930. F. H. WAGNER GAS HOLDER Filed Aug. 6, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. ll, 1930. F. H. WAGNER 1,781,256

GAS HOLDER Filed Aug. e, 1926 6' sheets-sheet 5 I N VEN TOR I )V/earz'cl [Waff/zo' B Y QA A TTORNEYS,

Nov. ll, 1930. F. H. WAGNER 1,781, 256

GAS HOLDER Filed Aug. 6, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR ffreierz'cic A. ll/aywef A TTORNE YS.

yEi

Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK H. WAGNER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE IBARTLETT HAYWARCD C0., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND GAS- HOLDER Application led August 6, 1926. Serial No. 127,678.

This invention pertains to gas holders and relates more particularly to that type known to the industry as waterless holders in that no Water is used as a sealing medium between the relatively movable elements.

Such a waterless holder is set forth and claimed in Letters Patent to Jagschitz No. 1,275,696 dated August 13, 1918.

Holders made in accordance with the principles set forth in said patent have been successfully installed and operated both in this country and abroad. Where, however,.they

size 'of the holder has become quite large, certain difliculties have arisen; so too, where the tar usually employed as a sealing medium is derived from water as as is usual in this country, varying con itions have to be met particularly so where the holder is located in such sections of the country as are subject to severe climatic changes. Furthermore, unless the tar is properly dehydrated the Water therein is apt to freeze upon the inner wall of the holder and interfere with the free and proper movement of the piston or movable diaphragm.

Guidance and stable equilibrium of the piston in its up and down movement in the holder shell or body are factors of vital importance particularly so where the holders are large and the diameter of the piston is as a consequence extensive.

One object of/the present invention is to produce the body of the reservoir in such manner that it will present an interior surface which is free from an projections such as rivets, whereby the sea ing of the piston may be readily and eiectively brought about.. Moreover the shell construction is such that the so called corner posts have a standard cross section, such as rectangular, thereby doing away with the necessity of the fabrication of special forms which have heretofore been employed.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a special sealing device or arrangement for the piston in which oil is used as a lubricant, thus doing away with the employment of tar and, as a consequence doing away withmany accessories incident to the employment of tar as a sealing medium.

`ancy is directly above its center of gravity whereby the piston is in st-able equilibrium and tilting of the piston is substantially eliminated; consequent-l there is an absence of cramping and an a sence of leakage which may possibly occur with the older const-ruction above referred to.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, reference will be had to the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a holder constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 a plan view, in part, of the vshell or body proper;

. Figure 3 a horizontal sectional detail view taken on the line III-III of Figure 4;

Figure 4 a vertical sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 a face view of the inner surface of a section of the holder;

Figure 6 a vertical detail sectional view l taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 3;

Figure 7 a perspective view of one of the staves or elements of the body;

Figure 8 a vertical axial sectional View of a portion of the piston and an allied sealing means of the capillary type;

Figure 9 a detail sectional elevation of a portion of the piston and its allied guiding means; y;

Figure 10a vertical yaxial section of a diagrammatic character showing theshape of the piston and the relation between the center of gravity and the center of buoyancy;

Figure 11 a plan view of piston guiding means;

Figure 12 a vertical sectional view on the line XII-XII of Figure 13'of a modified' Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 12 showing a still further modified form.

While I have shown several types of sealing means herein, it is to be understood that insofar as the generic invention is concerned, other types may be employed.

The shell or body of the gas holder is built upon a suitable foundation 1 (Figure 1) and may be said to be composed of a series of staves or plate elements of like form throughout the structures connected to each other, to vertically disposed corner posts, and to transverse encircling girders which latter serve as platforms to which ladders or stairs (not shown) may be secured.

Each of the body staves or panels is produced from plate metal and comprises a body 2 curved upon the proper radius according to the diameter of the tank and provided at its vertical edges with outstanding flanges 3 which latter are punched with a series of rivet receiving holes 4. Each plate moreover has welded to it an upper and a lower L-shaped flange designated in the drawings by 5 and 6 which are also punched. In assembling the panels, the flanges are placed outermost and the vertical flanges 3 are riveted to each other except at the so-called corner posts Where they are riveted to the flanges 7 and 8 of a channel beam 9-see Figures 3 and 4.

Said channel in turn is riveted to the inner flanges of a vertically disposed I-beam 10, While to the inner face of the channel there is secured a vertical bar 11, which, as will be seen upon reference to Figure 3, is rectangular in cross-section,-a form which may be readily and cheaply produced.

The members 9, 10 and 11 form the corner posts and may be readily assembled at a plant and shipped to the point of erection. As Will be seen the rivets 12 which secure the member 11 to the inner flanges of the beam 10 are the only ones exposed inside the holder, hence being driven under the best of conditions they may be firmly and closely drawn to place thus preventing leakage of gas thereabout.

Interposed between the adjacent horizontal flanges 5 and 6 of certain of the panels or staves 2 as they are assembled, is the inner edge of the horizontal member, see Figures 6 and 8,'of a girder 13, the flanges and the inner edge of the girder elements being riveted together.

These girders extend entirely around the Shell and in addition to lending stability to the structure, against wind pressure in particular, they also provide convenient platforms for the attachment of ladders or steps (not shown). Here again it will be noted that the rivets are exterior to the tank, hence may be readily inspected and should some not be fully driven it is a matter of no serious moment insofar as leakage is concerned.

To insure a gas-tight joint between the various plate or stave edges and flanges, said parts Where they abut will be electrically 'welded and such Welded joints are indicated at 14k-Figure 5. Not only does the welding insure gas tightness but such operation adds materially to the strength and unity of the shell as a Whole. There is thus produced a shell which presents a smooth interior free of any substantial projection other than the members 11 of the corner posts. Said members are, however, smooth and an effective seal may be had with reference to them as well as to the inner face of the shell or holder, as will presently appear.

Located within the tank or body constructed as above described, is a piston or movable diaphragm which, in conjunction with the sealing means carried by it, makes a movable gas-tight closure with the shell.

In the constructions illustrated it is given such form or contour, and the weight therein is so distributed, that its center of buoyancy is directly above and a substantial distance above its center of gravity which gives inherent stability.

. The main body of the piston denoted by 15, in Figure 10, is formed from plates 16, so formed and secured together (as by electric welding) as to produce a dome-shaped member. The main body is of a diameter less than the internal diameter of the shell or holder body and is positioned with referenceto the wall thereof by a series of pairs of rollers 17 and 18, Figure 9, arranged about the tank and adapted to bear upon the inner face of the various bars 11.

The rollers of each pair are spaced apart vertically and are carried by a suitable frame-work designated generally b v 19 which frame-work, in addition to sustaining the rollers, stiffens the piston adjacent ils periphery. Located at the peripheral portion of the body of the piston, the outer plates of which are carried downwardly as at 20, is a pocket or series of pockets 21 adapted to have placed therein suitable weighting or loading material. Said pocket is braced in position by suitable struts 22 which extend from the lower ends of the pockets upwardly into alignment with the lower ends of the inner inclined braces of the framing 19.

Extending around the outer marginal portion of the piston, or more specifically, around the depending skirt or plate members 20, is a pocket or reservoir 23, see Figures 8 and 9, which pocket is designed to hold a quantity of oil and likewise to hold a porous, absorbent sealing medium. In the instant case the upper outer edge of the pocket 23 is provided with a horizontal flange 24 and resting thereon, and dipping down into the oil in the pocket 23, is a series of layers of felt 25. Said felt layers are held together adjacent their upper outwardl extending ends which contact the inner fce of the shell or holder by aplate 26 preferably of channel form and in which is mounted a presser block 27 pressed downwardly by a screw 28 mounted in the outer end of a bracketed member 29. Only suiicient compression will be placed upon the felt layers at this point as will prevent them separating or turning upwardly or downwardly to too great an extent as the piston rises and falls under varying gas pressure. Suitable means is provided for forcing the outwardly turned ends or horizontal portions of the felt layers into contactrwith the inner smooth face of the shell of the holder. In the instant case I have shown a channel bar or plate 30 arranged inwardly of the felt members and standing in alignment with the out-turned or horizontal portion of said members. Said plate is forced outwardly by a block or bar 31 seated in the channel-shaped member 30 and urged in an outward direction by a weighted lever 32 f fulcrumed at 33 upon a fixed support 34, the lever at its lower end being pivotally connected as at 35 to a lug or bracket 36 ex-` tending inwardly from the bar 31. The weighted lever 32 exerts a constant pressure in an outward direction upon the felt elements and insures a close joint between said element and the inner face of the shell. It will, 4of course, be understood that a plurality or series of weighted levers and cooperating parts will be employed in conjunction with the absorbent sealing element and that felts or similar material which go to form the sealing element, will be made up in sections arranged around the periphery of the piston.

In Figure 3, the felts are shown in overlapping relation at their ends where one section adjoins another and the felts which stand adjacent the vertically disposed bar or element 11 are notched out to conform to said bar and to effect a tight seal therewith.

If desired, or found necessary, the reservoir 23 instead of being made continuous may be subdivided by vertically disposed partitions as indicated at 37, Figures 3 and 8, in order to prevent the oil from fiowlng around the pocket or reservoir 23 and thus tending to unbalance the piston.

There is, however, little tendency for any unbalancing action, this owing to the domeshaped formation of the piston and the fact that its center of buoyancy is materially above its center of gravity which latter is lowered by loading the piston at its periphery by the placement of concrete or weightmg materlal in the pockets 21 and by the presence of the oil and felt in the reservoirs 23.

In order to afford tangential guiding of the piston I preferably employ the means shown in Figures 9 and 11. Secured to the framework 19 adjacent the lower rollers 18 is a plate or other suitable supporting element designated by 38 upon which are mounted two horizontally disposed bolts 39 and 40, said bolts passing through suitable guides 41 and 42 and a sprlng 43 being employed to project the bolts outwardly toward the member 11 of the vertically disposed corner posts. The bolts, at their outer ends, are notched so as to engage the corners of the member 11. The outer ends of the bolts being polygonal and fitted in similar openings in the guides 42 they cannot turn and, as a consequence, the notched ends will always be held in close and intimate contact with the member 11.

It will be understood, of course, that a pair of such spring-actuated bolts will be placed in operative relation with each of the vertical corner posts of the structure and hence the piston or movable deck will be properly guided and held against tangential movement.

A suitable roof indicated generally at 44 will be provided to keep out rain and snow.

In order to prevent collapse or undue strain being placed upon the piston or movable deck when the gas is entirely withdrawn from the holder, or the pressure therein is insuiiicient to raise the piston, I preferably provide a frame-work within the bottom of the holder, said frame-work being designated by 45, the upper portion of which has secured thereto members 46 curved to conform to the inner or under face of the dome-shaped portion of the piston 15.

Instead of employing weights to force the packing outwardly into face-wise contact with the inner wall of the holder I may employ spring mechanism for accomplishing this same purpose. Such a structure is shown in Figures 12 to 15, inclusive.

In this instance, the upper portion of the vertically disposed layers of felt has placed behind it a channel plate 47 vagainst which blocks 48 are imposed, said blocks being provided with perforate lugs 49 through which extends the lower end of a leaf-spring 50, the lowermost end being turned over to hold the presser block in place.

The spring is substantially of inverted U- form and the opposite end is held in place in any suitable manner as by set screws 51 passing through lugs 52 formed upon the vertically disposed portion of a bracketshaped member 53. Additional spring leaves may be employed in connection with the main spring and one such leaf isindicated at 54. The horizontally disposed layers of felt are held in their compressed, or partly compressed condition by an overlying channel 26 and a presser plate 27, as in the construction above described.

Figure 14 shows a corner post of slightly different form, from that previously described, to illustrate the applicability of the packing of the type herein set forth and claimed to different styles of corner posts. The post indicated by 55 has its outer face chamfered, adjacent each edge, to receive the plates 56. The channel presser member 27 is notched out to pass around the corner post as will be clearly seen upon reference to said figure. It is to be noted that under 'all the constructions these presser plates must stand away from the inner face of the wall of the holder in order that the felt may at all times be moved outwardly and held in close contact with such wall.

The adjacent ends of the felt layers will be notched or cut away so as to overlap each other as above described and this feature is clearly shown in Figure 15.

In Figure 16 a still further form of pressure means to force the felt outwardly is illustrated. In this instance the inward or rear pressure channel, indicated by 57, is pressed outwardly by presser plates 58 from which extend stems 59 which enter guide tubes or members 6() secured to the adjacent body of the structure.- A coil spring (31 encircles the tubular guide 60 and bears, at its outer end, against the plate 58 and hence acts at all times to force the horizontally disposed layers of the felt outwardly into Contact with the inner face of the holder wall.

From the foregoing, it is though that the operation of the holder will be apparent. As the gas pressure increases within the holder, the piston is raised by the gas. In its upward movement the piston carries the felt members with it and owing to the capillary attraction of said felt members the oil is fed therefrom against the inner face of the shell thereby effecting, along with the outward pressure of the felt, a gas-tight joint.

The presence of' oil provides a lubricant which enables the piston to move without undue friction against the walls of the holder and inasmuch as there are noaivet or bolt heads projecting inwardly from the structure. there is very little it' any wear upon the felt. Moreover, owing to the Hexibilitv of the felt and the fact that it is constantlv urged outwardly against the inner face of the holder, any slight unevenness or pocket which may appear in the plate of which the holder body is formed will be momentarily filled or closed off against the passage of gas by the felt which tends to expand outwardly under the pressure exerted radially by the member 30 (or its equivalent) thereon.

Should any ice form upon the inner face of the holder. the oil soaked felt will readily pass thereover while still maintaining a gastight joint therewith.

The spring pressed bolts 39 and 40. arranged around the structure and working in conjunction with the vertically disposed posts or columns, provides for tangential guidance of the piston or deck and hence there is little or no tendency for the piston to move out of its true position. This, combined with the location of the center of buoyancy above the center of gravity, insures stability in the piston, a point of manifest advantage.

It will be appreciated that while the piston is at rest no oil, or substantially no oil, will pass outwardly from the horizontally disposed portions of the felt members. When. however, the piston is in motion there will be a greater tendency for the oil to flow and thus the felt is responsive at all times to effect a tight seal without the expenditure or Wastage of any material portion of the sealing medium. The reservoir 23 may be kept filled to the requisite extent by any means as, for instance, by placing a supply container upon the upper portion of the piston from which the oil may be withdrawn from time to time as needed.

From the foregoing it Will be noted that the present structure docs awaywith some of the accessories necessary to the operation of the waterless holder as shown in the Jagschitz patent, above noted.

No pumps are necessary to recirculate the sealing medium, no dehydrator for the tar is necessary and no special means need be provided for effecting a tight joint or seal around the corner posts as has been found necessary under the old forms. Again, the apparatus is not subject to disarrangement owing to climatic changes, for oil of the requisite physical characteristic may be placed in the reservoir 23 to offset low temperatures.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a` piston mounted therein; a trough surrounding the piston and spaced away from the wall of the shell; a plurality of layers of' felt the lower ends whereof eX- tend down into the trough with the upper ends extending laterally into Contact with the wall of the shell; and means urging said laterally extending portions outwardly.

2. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston mounted therein; a trough surrounding the piston and spaced away from the wall of the shell; a plurality of layers of felt the lower ends whereof extend down into the trough with the upper ends extending laterally4 into contact with the wall of the shell; means acting to hold said laterally disposed portions against vertical displacement; and means urging said laterally extending portions outwardly.

3. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston mounted therein; a

. trough surrounding the piston and spaced HNI l lli the trou h with their upper portions turned outwardly over the flange; means coacting with the flange to hold the layers against vertical displacement; and means urging said laterally extending portions outwardly.

4. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell, embodying a series of vertically disposed posts which extend inwardly of the wall of the shell: a piston mounted within the shell: and a seal carried by the piston and contacting the inner wall of the shell, said seal being formed of flexible capillary material which material is notched out to conform to the contour of the posts.

5. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell formed from a series of stave-like elements and a plurality of vertically disposed posts. said elements being provided with outwardly extending flanges; a series of horizontally disposed girders encircling the shell, the inner edges whereof extend inwardly between the flanges of the stave like elements; means for securing the flanges of the plates together and to the inner edges of the girders and likewise securing those flanges of the stave like members which stand adjacent to the posts to said posts; a piston mounted in the shell and a seal interposed between the piston and the inner wall of the shell.

6. In a waterless gas holder, the combi- 9. In a waterless as holder, the combination of a shell embodying a plurality of vertically disposed posts extendin inwardly ofthe inner face of the wall o the shell; a piston; a. plurality of layers of felt movable with the piston and contacting the inner face of the wall of the shell, such layers being notched out adjacent the vertically disposed posts to conform therewith; means for supplying oil to said felt layers; and means for urging the layers outwardly into sealing relation with the shell.

n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specific-ation.

FREDERICK H. WAGNER.

nation of a shell composed of a series of i vertically disposed posts and connecting plates; a piston mounted for movement within the holder; a seal interposed between the piston and the inner face of the holder wall; and spring pressed bolts extending outwardly from the piston and engaging the edges of the posts.

7. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell embodying a series of vertically disposed posts, angular in cross section; a piston mounted therein; a seal interposed between the piston and the inner face of the wall of the shell; a pair of bolts arranged adjacent each of the posts, the outer ends of the bolts being shaped to conform to and make a close fit with the adjacent angular portions of the posts: and means for urging said bolts outwardly.

8. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston mounted therein; a trough surrounding the piston and spaced away from the wall of the shell; a plurality of layers of felt, the lower ends whereof extend out into the trough with the upper ends extending laterally into contact with the wall of the shell, the adjacent ends of the felt layers, as they extend about the holder, being cut away and brought into overlapping relation; means acting to hold said laterally disposed portions against vertical displacement; and means urging said laterallyI extending portions outwardly. 

